Eight names added to museum's memorial wall

The memorial mural at the Air Force Armament Museum gained eight portrais Saturday of military members from Florida who were killed in Afghanistan in 2013.

NICK TOMECEK / Daily News

By LAUREN DELGADO / Northwest Florida Daily News

Published: Thursday, January 23, 2014 at 12:16 PM.

More than 350 portraits of Florida’s military men and women killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan hang on the Air Force Armament Museum’s memorial wall.
Each has their own story of heroism. Each has family, friends, and brothers and sisters in arms who mourn them.
On Saturday, Jan. 18, eight portraits were added to the mural in remembrance of those who died in 2013. All the men were serving in Afghanistan.
“Their stories need to be told,” said Richard Hunt, commander of Florida’s Military Order of the Purple Heart.
This year’s heroes were Army Spc. Zachary L. Shannon, 21, of Dunedin; Army Staff Sgt. Marc A. Scialdo, 31, of Naples; Army Capt. Andrew M. Pedersen-Keel, 28, of South Miami; and Air Force Capt. James Michael Steel, 29, of Tampa.
Also, Army Staff Sgt. Jesse L. Thomas Jr., 31, of Pensacola; Marine Lance Cpl. Jared W. Brown, 20, of Youngstown; Army Sgt. Justin R. Johnson, 25, of Hobe Sound; and Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Randy L. Billings, 34, of Heavener, Okla., but who grew up in Inverness.
A new portrait is already scheduled to be added next year. Army Sgt. 1st Class William “Kelly” Lacey, 38, of Niceville was killed Jan. 4 while defending his outpost from an insurgent attack in Afghanistan.
His stepmother, Karla Lacey, and brother, Shawn Lacey, accepted two plaques commemorating Lacey on behalf of his wife, Ashley, and his father, John.
“We all pray that there will be no more names and portraits added,” said Meredith McQuagge, commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 811.

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More than 350 portraits of Florida’s military men and women killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan hang on the Air Force Armament Museum’s memorial wall.
Each has their own story of heroism. Each has family, friends, and brothers and sisters in arms who mourn them.
On Saturday, Jan. 18, eight portraits were added to the mural in remembrance of those who died in 2013. All the men were serving in Afghanistan.
“Their stories need to be told,” said Richard Hunt, commander of Florida’s Military Order of the Purple Heart.
This year’s heroes were Army Spc. Zachary L. Shannon, 21, of Dunedin; Army Staff Sgt. Marc A. Scialdo, 31, of Naples; Army Capt. Andrew M. Pedersen-Keel, 28, of South Miami; and Air Force Capt. James Michael Steel, 29, of Tampa.
Also, Army Staff Sgt. Jesse L. Thomas Jr., 31, of Pensacola; Marine Lance Cpl. Jared W. Brown, 20, of Youngstown; Army Sgt. Justin R. Johnson, 25, of Hobe Sound; and Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Randy L. Billings, 34, of Heavener, Okla., but who grew up in Inverness.
A new portrait is already scheduled to be added next year. Army Sgt. 1st Class William “Kelly” Lacey, 38, of Niceville was killed Jan. 4 while defending his outpost from an insurgent attack in Afghanistan.
His stepmother, Karla Lacey, and brother, Shawn Lacey, accepted two plaques commemorating Lacey on behalf of his wife, Ashley, and his father, John.
“We all pray that there will be no more names and portraits added,” said Meredith McQuagge, commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 811.